Caterpillar

It is always wise not to handle a caterpillar with long hairs that appear soft and silky. There may be shorter, stouter hairs that secrete toxins hidden from view. The caterpillar will eventually metamorphose into a harmless moth; in the meantime it is well-defended from the myriad creatures that want to eat it. The longer, non-toxic hairs also help prevent parasitoids from laying eggs on or in its body.